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SALTWATER RIG LIBRARY
Wire Leader Rig
A short single-strand wire leader for fish with teeth that slice through mono. Haywire twists hold it together; use only as much wire as you need.
Best forWahoo, king mackerel, barracuda
WhereReef edges, offshore
MethodTrolling, drifting, live bait
DifficultyModerate
Rig diagram (component order)
Step-by-step how-to
Step-by-step build instructions
- 1
Tie the main line to a black barrel swivel.
- 2
Pass 12–24 in of single-strand wire through the other eye.
- 3
Make 5–7 haywire twists, then 4–5 tight barrel wraps.
- 4
Break the tag end off by bending it back and forth. Never cut it.
- 5
Repeat the haywire twist on the hook.
- 6
Bait it. Use the shortest, thinnest wire that stops the bite-offs.
BigJoe Tips
- Use only as much wire as you need; heavy wire gets fewer bites.
- Dull or black swivels reduce flash that draws strikes on the knot.
- Replace kinked wire right away; it will break.
- Twists must be even and tight, not wrapped around a straight wire.
Variations
- Coated multi-strand wire is easier to tie and less stiff.
- A stinger hook on a second piece of wire for short-biting kingfish.
- Long wire (6–15 ft) for high-speed wahoo trolling.
- Fluorocarbon (80–100 lb) can work for picky barracuda.
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